I should preface my first blog post by emphasizing just how much I have been looking forward to this project. I can remember my interview with the St. Olaf admissions officer (I even remember that his name is DJ) where he brought up the dig when I had mentioned that I am interested in Roman history. I later saw a picture of some students sweeping the mosaic (a mosaic I have now walked over. I really wished that it wasn’t covered with the cloth covering) near the bath and around there I had made up my mind not only that I would go to St. Olaf, but that I would also be participating in this dig.
The twenty-hour trip to Gazipasa makes the three hour flight to MSP airport seem insignificant. I left with a newfound hatred of airports both foreign and domestic and upon landing it was hard to form an opinion on Turkey from a night drive from the airport to the apartment. It wasn’t until the next day when I started to connect the Turkey of my admissions era dreams with my new reality. To start with I had anticipated more of an arid climate here but the humidity has quickly proven me wrong. Nobody had mentioned the massive castle on a hill (Selinus) that is overlooking the town. I must have taken a dozen pictures of it already. Nobody told me about the Roman aqueduct that runs through the center of town either and I have photographed both extensively.
Finally, as for digging, I couldn’t be happier with our site, I have been assigned to the area that is predicted to have evidence of pirate activity which is exactly what I wanted. It also has the best view by far, it is at the edge of the acropolis and I have been told that on clear days we can see Cyprus, I haven’t seen it yet but I intend to keep looking.
Adam Ockers